Where It All Began
by ToinKs
Summary: Hanazawa Rui is back where everything began, rooted and blossomed. Years later, he's finally returned to meet with old friends. Death and birth of love depends on the reader's choice. Read and review please!
1. Default Chapter

**Author's Notes: **I am back!!! Hurrah! At long last, my HYD muse has returned. I am currently writing the sixteenth chapter for _**Echoes Of The Past**_. Meanwhile, however, here's my latest one-shot creation. Enjoy!

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**WHERE IT ALL BEGAN**

He stood on the steps of Eitoku University.

At forty-six, he is an accomplished, and by the standards of the world, highly successful business man. Their family corporation has grown into one of the global industrial giants. His name has almost become a brand in itself, but he deserves all the glory for his success. His life and career were so intertwine that a lot of people wondered if he lived in his office.

But today isn't just another day in the office.

Today, he will be sixteen again.

Memories flooded his head as soon as he looked up and faced the towering building where he spent four of the happiest years of his life. He was reminded of the sights and smells of the blithe youth at the very prime of their lives, looking for each of their own star to follow. Teenagers still retained precious innocence, ambitious dreams, and unblemished faith. The priceless assets he also once possessed.

His body felt younger as his blood pulsated loudly with each step he took. He could actually feel strength creeping up his legs, into his arms and up his shoulders. He instantly stood straighter, walked faster.

It felt good to be back.

He soon reached the top of the steps and faced the large oak door that was the doorway to his past.

He touched the door, tracing his fingers over the ornate carvings. Should he enter?

With a mighty push, one of the heavy doors opened just wide enough for him to slide through.

He stood at the hallway and realized that despite the renovations on the entrance gates and the expansion of the school vicinity, the old feeling of the school still lingered.

It was strange the way he could still picture the past three decades with utmost clarity. He could almost believe that he was young again.

It was here that he met her, here where he realized that admiration was not love and that love need not be sought after for it will find you at the precise moment it was destined to happen. It was here that love caught up with him, mystifying and unexpected. The poor fellow didn't stand a chance. When cupid's arrow hit him on the mark, he fell without knowing it.

What felt like the touch of a sister evolved into the touch that sent shivers up and down his spine, causing his heart to race. The naive smile that amused him became a smile that melted his heart and his will. The name he called a friend, he had learned to love past that platonic level. And all these, scared him far more than anything else.

For when he finally realized that he loved her, his bestfriend had fallen in love with her too.

"Come on..." A voice and a light prodding woke him from his reverie as he was pulled towards the famous Eitoku gardens.

His breath was lodged in his throat as soon as greenery came into view. Thirty years ago and today was no different. Apparently, while the rest of the world slowly crumbled into ruins, the garden was an exception. It still blossomed of the most beautiful flowers, filling the air with the captivating scent of sweet nectar. It was preserved in all its marvelous beauty, unaffected by the evil that spread the surface of the earth.

He wasn't aware of his arms encircling around the person in front of him. He held her close to him as memories threatened to break the façade he had worn for so long. He could smell a faint yet familiar fragrance in her hair, swirling in his nostrils, knocking at the closed doors he had locked so long ago.

She leaned onto him and he was washed over by a tidal wave of melancholy, a longing that never ceased, but only grew stronger with time. She looked the same as the girl who once taught him to love. She was the image of compassion, kindness and unbelievable strength of heart. There was the irony that she effortless embodied, leaving the rest of the world enveloped in her mystery.

Beauty had never been more justified.

She was beautiful inside and out. What made her even more attractive was the fact that she was the only one clueless about it. While others pause and stare each time she entered a room, bringing a fresh ray of sunshine in, she remains oblivious to the attention.

Odd. Her admirers regarded her as irresistibly odd.

She sat on the stone bench and beckoned him to sit with her, patting the space beside her. He obliged, never taking his eyes off her for a moment. How grateful was he that he had her. Life had a new meaning after she entered his life. Without her, he would have probably killed himself with work. His daily monotony was broken when she would interrupt his schedules with her calls or invitations to spend the day together. He had never felt so loved.

He followed her stare and landed on the beautifully scripted writings on marble.

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**Author's Notes:** Err, I did not intent to leave you all with a cliffhanger, but see I had this idea to make two endings. One more suitable to Tsukasa/Tsukushi shippers, while the second one, for Rui/Tsukushi shippers.

Please read and review. 


	2. Ending 1

**WHERE IT ALL BEGAN**

**ENDING # 1**

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_Doumyouji Tsukasa and Tsukushi. Together here and thereafter._

"Tell me all about them, Uncle Rui," her melodic voice sifted into his thoughts.

Here was the treasure his two best friends had left him to take care of. When he received the call about the freak accident, he felt his heart shatter, his knees giving away. He didn't want to believe it, but when he saw the news on television, and received calls from his friends, he had no choice but to accept the truth. He took the first flight available and headed straight back to Japan.

She was found whimpering, cuddled under her mother's arms; her father's arms wrapped around them both with his last attempt to protect them at all costs, even at the price of his own life. She looked so fragile, like a delicate piece of China that had a glaring warning to handle with care.

Rui was hesitant. He knew he was selfish, and conceited. He had turned callous over the years by burying his failures at love with work, certainly not the best kind of example for a child to follow. But when she was placed in his arms for the first time, still cooing and whimpering from her bruises, he fell for her. It was love at first sight.

He hasn't been able to let go ever since.

She grew up under his watchful care, studying in the best schools and graduating with honors. While she spends five days of the week buried under mounds of books, she would keep her weekends free to spend with him. They would go to nature trips, sailing, hiking, skiing and even once, bungee jumping.

He was aware of the mistakes the previous generations had and vowed never to take this child for granted. He had succeeded. She was now studying in law school, at the same time, effectively managing their company's accounts, and during her free time, doing pro bono consultation for the less fortunate.

She's also going steady with one of the richest bachelors in Japan, who started from scratch by working hard, investing with the right company and rising to the top.

A father could not have been prouder of his child.

"Machiko, your parents are the best friends anyone could ever find," he started the story the way he told her countless times before. "I was fortunate enough to get to know them both. Your Dad, Tsukasa, was a childhood friend. We have known each other ever since we were little tots. You could say he was the leader of our little group—F4. That's because he was the most bull-headed of us all, which came out through the curliest locks you would have ever seen," he added with a smirk.

"I met your mother, Tsukushi, in highschool." He says with fondness. "She changed all of us... One day, we were all just stupid boys in search of our selfish pursuits. The next, we were faced with a petite girl that rocked our sheltered lives." He chuckled, saying "Your Mother made your Dad rethink his curly hair! When he fell for her, he didn't realize what hit him."

Hanazawa Rui went on sharing about the friendship that he shared with Machiko's parents. He felt his heart ache at the happier memories they shared together. His best friend and his soulmate completed his lack of family. Even though he still had Akira and Soujiro, who never failed to be there for both of them, things were never the same again.

Despite all the obstacles in life, Rui was glad that when his bestfriends left him, they gave him someone in return to keep him company. He often felt as though Machiko was Tsukushi's gift, because though she couldn't love him back with all the love that he deserved, she knew her daughter would be able to love him with all her heart.

Machiko took Rui's hands, folding her own around them and, uttered two simple words that encapsulated all that she and her parents would have wanted him to know.

"Thank you."

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Machiko means, "Fortunate."

**A/N: Read the second ending and tell me which one you like best! REVIEW please... Thank you!**


	3. Ending 2

**A/N: **And here's the ending just for Tsukushi and Rui shippers! Enjoy!!!

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**WHERE IT ALL BEGAN**

**ENDING # 2**

_Doumyouji Tsukasa. A noble man and loving husband who lived and loved to the fullest._

The wind suddenly felt so much colder, and the world, a drearier place. Who would've thought that the heavens would take back a man so young and promising, unable to reach even half of his life?

Rui felt something wet drop on his hand. He bent his head and saw that she was crying, tears streaming down her cheeks.

"Tsukushi—" There was that insistent helpless feeling again. He wanted to comfort her, to take her pain away. More than anything else, he wanted to be enough for her.

"Rui..." She stopped him before he could say another word. "Please, don't..."

He felt a stab in his heart. Here was the woman he loves, crying for another man, while he held her in his arms.

He endured the pain, mixed with his own sadness. He ignored the ache of his powerless against these feelings that enveloped them. He hated to see her this way, but his own tears were about to spill from a mixture of nostalgia, grief and envy.

"Rui, allow me to cry," she said, and another part of his heart cracked. "Let me shed the tears that are meant for him. Let me mourn for the husband that I lost." Rui wanted nothing more than to help her. It's been three years, but she was still broken. "Help me to let him go," she almost pleaded. "He belongs to a better place now."

She sniffed, his hand automatically brushing away the new tears that fell from her eyes. "I spent the best years of my life with him, but now, it is time to live my own, to start anew."

Tsukushi took Rui's hands and with a soft whisper, added, "...With you."

He looked at her, the shock only visible in his eyes. It felt almost dream-like. Did he hear it right? Did she just say…?

Before he could create another thought, he felt her arms wrapping him tightly. He closed his eyes, felt his soul soar from the happiness of the moment. There they sat, in each other's arms, feeling their hearts beat in a pulsating rhythm. He wanted to laugh, and he wanted to cry, all at the same time.

But in that moment, Rui felt a twinge of guilt as though he was betraying his bestfriend Tsukasa, by taking the woman he loved. He knew how jealous Tsukasa got over men who were close to Tsukushi, and this was what caused many of the couple's spats. However, the reconciliation after the fights always made them sweeter and stronger in their relationship.

But he deserved to be loved too. He had given his heart to her so long ago and she hadn't given it back to him yet.

Until now.

Now, she is ready to let him love her, more than the friendship he shared with her. She has finally given him the chance he has waited for all his life. All he ever wanted was to take care of her, to never see her sad or cry, to make her feel whole again.

Tsukasa did once say that if he would have to give her up, he would only give her up to Rui. He knew how much Rui loved her, and had tasked Rui to take care of her when he couldn't. And now that he could no longer keep her whole, Rui was willing to mend her.

After all these years, Rui finally had the love of his life in his arms, and she was giving her heart and soul to him. They were soulmates; they knew that from the beginning as they always had a connection that made them in tune with each other, even without words. It was a connection that never faltered through the years.

He leaned his head closer to hers, wrapping his arms around her small frame, wishing he could freeze time and just remain where they were.

As if on cue, a tiny white butterfly appeared and fluttered around them before finally resting gently, just inches from Rui's face, alighting on Tsukushi's shoulder. And without words, Rui smiled and knew.

He was safely reassured that Tsukasa wouldn't be sending thunderbolts from above.

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**A/N: **Please REVIEW! And in your spare time, please visit my other fics. Would love to hear from you!


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